John the Baptist - John 3:22-36

Jesus and His disciples leave Jerusalem and go into Judea “and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.” I thought that it was interesting to note that when John needed to baptize he went where the water was, not where the people were. It seems not to matter that the people who wanted to be baptized were catered to, but the ordinance required a sufficient amount of water and so that trumped the desires of the people. God first, the people will travel. It’s also interesting to note that it sounds here like Jesus and John did all the baptizing, but in John 4:1-2, which we will cover next says, “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples)” makes it sound like he didn’t baptize anyone at all. The IM clarifies, “The wording of John 3:22 suggests that the Savior performed baptisms, while John 4:1-2 seems to suggest that He did not. The Joseph Smith Translation resolves this apparent discrepancy and adds pertinent information about the evil designs of the Jewish leaders: ‘When therefore the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, they sought more diligently some means that they might put him to death; for many received John as a prophet, but they believed not on Jesus. Now the Lord knew this, though he himself baptized no so many as his disciples; For he suffered them for an example, preferring one another.’” When I heard this I thought “could you imagine what it would be like to be baptized by Jesus Himself?” then I thought “probably the same as being baptized by anyone else.” It’s the basic thought that it’s the ordinance that is important, not the people. I remember a story told in a talk somewhere of a teenager who was going to be ordained to the Melchezidek priesthood and asked a visiting general authority to ordain him. This I understand because of who that person is, it is special. But the general authority asked where his father was, to which the boy answered that he wasn’t close to his father. The general authority then told the boy that he needed to be ordained by his father and that they needed to reconcile with each other. I don’t remember if the lesson was said out right, or I just thought it but the ordinance was more important than having a “special” person perform it. The father and son reconciled and the ordination was a beautiful experience which bonded them and changed their relationship forever. He said that the moment between father and son was more special and meaningful eternally to them, then the general authority performing the ordination. I also think it’s interesting that Jesus is trying to make the gospel not all about Him, even though it is all about Him, salvation wise, I think he’s setting the disciples up to become independent administrators of the gospel so that when He leaves, they will be ready.

Some of John’s disciples had questions “about purifying,” I’m not exactly sure what that means, but they ask John, “Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.” I have to respect their loyalty to John, it’s admirable really, especially when you consider that John is actively telling them to go and follow Jesus. They are basically saying, “why is Jesus more popular than you?” John’s answer is incredibly humble, in which he tells his disciples basically that any knowledge, power or authority he has was given to him by God. He tells them again that he has always said that he was not the Christ, and he gives an analogy of a marriage, in the which the man marrying the bride “is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” Wedding and marriages can be tricky events when it comes to feelings because having a friend get married when you yourself are single can be difficult. On the one hand you are happy that your friend has found love, but on the other hand you want that same love for yourself, it can be a reminder of what you don’t have. This would be an easy and understandable position for John to take, he’s happy that Jesus is gaining in popularity and his message is being received, but John could also feel left out of the new following. Really, if you think about it, John did a lot of work preparing the way for Jesus, we’ve talked about that extensively, it would only make sense that John and Jesus would join forces and be even more successful. But if that were to happen, some people would believe John and some people would believe Jesus, regardless of what John told them, as is demonstrated by John’s disciples who refuse to leave him. It would take the focus off of Jesus solely and share the attention with John, and that’s not the purpose of either of their missions.

John’s statement that follows is a little bit confusing, but from what I gather, John is telling his disciples that “the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” He’s telling them that Jesus has all power from God, and is God, and that John is just the servant of God. His humility is painfully clear when John says of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” He knows that even though they are working towards a common goal, their missions are very different.